Convertible motion-picture machine.



L. MANDEL. CONVERTIBLE MOTION P ICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I L. MANDEL. CONVERTIBLE MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. I915. 1,191,329. Patented July 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. MANUEL. CONVERTIBLE MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. I915.

jwmzr Lou/5 WWIVDEL 4 5 oil Patented July 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 L. M ANDEL. CONVERTIBLE MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16,1915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Au /Air is a specification.

LOUIS MANDEL, OF

on 10sec, rnnruors a CONVERTIBLE MOTION-PICTURE MACHINE.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, LoUIs MANDEL, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConvertible Motion- Picture Machines, of which the following Thisinvention relates to improvements in motion picture machines adapted tobe used for photographing pictures upon a strip in rapid succession, andsubsequently employed for projecting the pictures upon a screen, themachine being also adapted to be used for photographing what is knownas"still pictures and subsequently projecting the still pictures upon ascreen.

A further object is to provide an improved machine of this characteralso adaptedto be used for printing the positive film from the stripcontaining. the pictu'resto be printed.

A further object is to provide an improved compact device of thischaracter,

which will be of small dimensions, and so constructed that the operatingmechanism may be readily removed from the casing as a single unit, andas readily inserted into the casing, the frame of the operatingmechanism also serving to, divide the casing into three compartments,two of which compartments being adapted to receive and hold the filmrolls. g

To the attainment of these ends, and the accomplishment of other newand. useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in thefeatures of novelty in substantially the construction, combination andarrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described andclaimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating theinvention and in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of an improved machine of this character,constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, withthe casing open and wlth parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view taken on line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is a view of the mechanism removed from the casing and as taken online 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view takenon line 44, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, taken from theopposite side of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6, Fig. 1, andshowing the apparatus adjusted for the purpose of print- Specificationof ietters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1916.

Application filed April 16, 1915. Serial No. 21,688.

Referring more particularly to the drawng, the numeral 10 designatesgenerally an inclosing casing, having an open side which is closed by aclosure 11. The casing is provided with anoopening 12 in its wall 13 andconnected with the opening is a lens 14, preferably located inside ofthe casing. The vwall 13 of tliecasing is provided with'open grooves 15,while the side walls are with grooves 16, 17.

provided I The operating mechanism is arranged W1th1n the casing andcomprises a support,

The structure thus formed, is adapted to be. lnserted into the casing,so that the edges of the walls 19, will enter the grooves 15, 16 and 17,and the structure is of such a size as to extend across the casing, sothat the walls 19 will divide the casing into two end compartments, 22,23 and an intermediate compartment 24.

Mounted upon the structure thus formed and supported in any suitablemanner, is a rotatable toothed element or sprocket wheel 25, a portionof which projects through a suitable opening 26* in the wall 18 of thestructure. Connected with the shaft of this sprocket wheel is a Genevaelement 26, and a cooperating Geneva element 27, which latter isprovided with the operating pin 28, and is connected with a shaft 29which has secured to it a gear 30. The gear 30 meshes with a gear 31,which latter is connected with a shaft 32, and mounted upon the shaft 32is a pulley 33, fora purpose to be hereinafter set forth. The gear 31 inturn meshes with a gear 34. This gear 34 meshes with a gear 35 which hasconnected with it to operate therewith, a gear 36, and the gear 36 inturn meshes with another gear 37, and these series of gears constitute atrain of gears by means of which the Geneva elementis rotated and thiselement in turn rotates the Geneva element 26 and consequently, thesprocket 25, to feed the flexible strip 38 across the field of the lens14.

Supported by the walls 19 of the supporting structure are brackets 39,40, upon which are mounted the reels 41, 42, which hold the flexiblestrip 38, and the bracket 40 and reel 42 are located in the compartment22, while the bracket 39 and reel 41 are located in the 4 compartment23.

The gear 37 has connected with it a socket 43' (see particularly Fig.3), while the gear 34 has connected with it, a socket 44, and a similarsocket 45 is connected with the gear 30. These socketslare adapted tosuccessively receive a crank (not shown) and which is inserted into therespective sockets from the outside of the'casing, thereby ren- .deringvit possible to impart a variable speed of rotation to the sprocket tovary the speed of the movement of the flexible strip 38 at the will ofthe operator, and at'difl'erent points in the train of gears. I l VConnected with the shaft 46, upon which the reel 41 is rotatablymounted, 1s a pulley '47 which is mounted in alin'ement'with the pulley33, and, a flexible belt 48 passes over these pulleys vand throughsuitable apertures in the wall 19 of the support, so that when thesprocket 25 is rotated to feed the film from the reel 42, the film willbe wound upon the reel 41. a

- shaft 29, for the purpose of insuring a A balance wheel49 is connectedwith the steady movement.

The wall 18 of the supporting structiire is provided with an aperture 50which is mounted in alinement with an aperture 51 in -the,closure 11,and this aperture '51' is preferably of a size somewhat larger than theaperture 50 and is provided with a conical shield 52 for directingthe'light into the aperture 50.. Supported by the wall 18 is a gate orguide 53 which is pivotally connected thereto as at 54 and is providedwith an aperture 55 arranged in alinement with the a ertures 50, 51, anda catch 56'is also provi ed for holding the gate closed. Theflexibld'strip 38 passes between the gate 53 and the'wall 18 so as topass across the registering openings 50, 51, 55 and in order to hold thestrip in position, and against the sprocket wheel 25, rollers 57 areprovided for thatpurpose. The gate is provided with cut awa portions 58,59, in 1ts up er and lower'e ges and through which portions tQ flexiblestrip is adapted to pass, under certain conditions; A shutter 60 is alsoprovided and mounted upon the supporting structure. The shaft 61 of theshutter is mounted in suitable bearings and has con-' nected with it abevel gear 62, which latter meshes with a bevel gear 63, the gear 63being connected-to operate with the gear 35, so'that when the mechanismis actuated to feed the flexible strip, the shutter 60'will becorrespondingly rotated.

Finders 65, 66 are provided, and the opening 51 in the closure 11 isclosed by means of a temporary closure 64, and this temporary closure isemployed when it is desired to use theapparatus for photographingpuroses, the feeding mechanism being operated y means of a crank fromany point desired in the train of gears. Under ordinaryconditions ofsufficient light, and when motion .to the views, the feedin Fig. 6, an

mechanism may be operated from the gear 37, but when there is notsuflicient light and it. is desired to give a little longer exposure,

mechanism is operated from the gear 34 in the train. When it is desired,to photograph what is known as still, pictures, that is, by advancin theflexible sensitized stri the distance 0 one picture "or view, the eedingmechanism is operated from the shaft 29 by placing the crank in thesocket 45, and, one complete revolution of the gear 30 will besuificient to advance the sensitized strip the. proper distance.

When it is desired to use the apparatus for subsequently projecting thepicture on to a screen, the temporary closure 64 is re-' moved and. inits place is arranged an attachment 67 which is provided with acondenser lens 68 and which lens is mounted in alinementwith theregisteringo enings 51,

55, 50 and in order to provide su cient light for the purpose ofprojecting pictures, a source of light 69 is provided, which ispreferably arranged within a casing 70, the latter being adjustablyconnected with the attachment 67, to be moved toward or away from thecondenser lens 68.

The printing is accomplished by feeding the sensitized strip 38 throughthe apparams in the manner as already described, and the'objects to beprinted upon the strip 38 are arranged upon another flexible strip 71,

which is fed from a reel 72 arranged on the outside of the casin bymeans of a detac ablesup ort 73. The flexible strip 71 is then passedinto the easing through an opening 74 which latter is closed by aflexible closure 7 5, that contacts with the flexible strip as it passesthrou h the opening, to prevent the entrance of lig t at that point. inclose proximity to the cut away portion 58 of the ate 53, as shown moreclearly in (f the flexible strip then passes over the adjacent roller 57in contact with the sensitized strip 38, throu h the gate, over thesprocket 25 through t e cut away portion 59 in the gate and then throughanother opening 76'again to the outside of the casing and whichopening76 is closed by a flexible closure 77, that contacts with the flexiblestrip to prevent the entrance of li ht into the casing. With the twostrips t us arranged, I: it will be seen .that when the feedingmechanism is operated, both of the flexible strips will besimultaneouslsensitized strip is maintained within the easing and the other stripwill be passed from the outside of the casing into the casing to beprinted from and then a ain to the outside.

If desired and in or er to support the flexible strips in contact witheach other adand held in position hisopening 74 is arranged 'fed acrossthe fieldof the condenser, whi e the jacent the opening 50, a removablesupport 78, (see Fig. 6), may be employed at that point. A supplementalgate 53 is connected with the main gate 53, by means of bolts 53 andsprings 53 are also provided for yieldingly holding the supplementalgate, against the flexible strip so that the supplemental gate willyield to compensate any irregularity in the flexible strip. 1

Should it be desired, the condenser attachment'67 and the source oflight 69 may be omitted and printing may be acc omplished eitherdirectly from the sun or the opening '51 may be arranged and held inalinement with anysuitable source of light. Printing may also be donefor still pictures, by operating the mechanism from the gear 30 and whenit is desired to project the still pictures, the feeding mechanism maybe operated from the same point.

With this improved construction, it will be manifest that the apparatusis convertible for a number of difierent'uses, thereby combining in asingle construction a multiplieity of devices. It will also be manifestthat all of the operating mechanism is mounted upon a supportingstructure, which is removably held within the casing, and when it isdesired, this structure, the operating mechanism, the shutter, and reelsfor the flexible strips may be bodily removed from the casing as asingle unit.

Obviously many changes may be made in the details of construction and inthe combination and arrangement of the several parts Without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is: 1. In a device of the character described, acasing having an open side, a lens arranged in one of the walls of thecasing, the side and front walls of the casing being provided withregistering open grooves, a

a supporting frame embodying a face wall and end walls arrangedperpendicularly thereto, said face wall being provided with an apertureadapted to register with the lens opening, film feeding mechanismmounted upon the said structure, intermediate the said end walls, filmreel supports, supported bythe end walls of the said frame, said frameand the supported mechanism being freely removable from and adapted tobe inserted in the casing as a self-contained unit, the said grooves inthe casing walls receiving the edges of the end walls of the frame todivide the easing into light tight compartments, and a closure for thecasing.

2. In a device of the character described, a casing having an open side,a lens arranged in one of the walls of the casing, the side and frontwalls of the casing being pro-- vided with registering open grooves, asup porting frame embodying a face wall and end walls arrangedperpendicularly thereto,

said face wall being provided with an aperture adapted to register withthe lens opening, film feeding mechanism mounted upon the saidstructure, intermediate the said end walls, film reel supports,supported by the end walls of the said frame, a gate pivotally connectedwith said face wall and through which gate a flexible strip passes, saidframe and supported .mechanism being freely removable from and adaptedto be inserted in the casing as a self-contained unit, the said groovesin the casing walls receiving the edges of the end walls of the frame todivide the easing into light tight compartments and a closure for thecasing.

3. In a device of the character described, a casing having an open side,a lens arranged in one of the Walls of the casing, the side and frontwalls of the casing being provided with registering open grooves, asupporting frame embodying a face wall and end .walls arrangedperpendicularly thereto, said face wall being provided with an apertureadapted to register with-the lens opening, film feeding mechanismmounted upon said structure, intermediate the said end walls, film 'reelsupports, supported by the end walls of the said frame, said frame andsupported mechanism being freely re movable from and adapted to beinserted in the casing as a self-contained unit, the said grooves in thecasing walls receiving the edges of the end walls of the frame to dividethe easing into light tight compartments, a closure for the casing, saidclosure having an opening ada ted to register with the lens opening, aninterchangeable attachments adapted to be attached to the said closureadjacent the opening therein.

4:. In a device of the character described, a casing having an openside, a lens arranged in one of the walls of the casing, the side andfront walls of the casing being provided with registering open grooves,a supporting frame embodying a face wall and end Walls arrangedperpendicularly thereto, said face structure, intermediate the said endwalls,

film reel supports, supported by the end walls of the said frame, saidframe and the supported mechanism being freely removable from andadapted to be inserted in the casing as a'self-contained unit, the saidgrooves in the casing walls receiving the edges of the end walls of theframe to divide the casing into light tight compartments, a closure forthe casing, and a lens casing connected with the lens, said lens casingbeing disposed entirely within the plane of the outer face of theadjacent wall of the first said casing.

5. In a device of the character described, a casing having an open side,a lens arranged one of the Walls Of the casing the f V I side and frontwalls of the casing being proporting frame embodying a face wallandclosure for the casing, said arranged perpendicularly thereto, saidface v wall being provided with an aperture adgpltli ed'to register withthe lens opening, end walls arranged perpendicularly thereto, feedingmechanism mounted upon the said said face wall being provided with anaperstructure,- intermediate the 'said end walls, ture adapted toregister with the lens openfihn reel supports, supported by the end ing,film feeding mechanism mounted upon walls of the said frame, said frameand the vided with registering open grooves, a supthe said structure,intermediate the said end supported mechanism being freely removreelsupports, supported by the end able from and adapted to be inserted inthe walls of the said frame, said frame and the casing as aself-contained unit, the said supported mechanism being freely removgrooves in the.casing walls receiving the 'ablefrom and adapted to beinserted in the edges of the end walls of the frame to divide casing, asa self-contained unit, the said the casing intolight' tightcompartments, a

grooves in the casing walls receiving the closure for thecasing, saidcasing havin edges of the .end walls of the frame to "divide spacedopenings through I which a secon the easing into light tight comartments, a flexible strip may be fed through the casing, m feedingflexible means forming closures for the last a mechanism embodying-atrain of gears and said-openings and with which means the vary the speedof movement of the flexible means whereby said train of gears may beflexible strip contacts and means exterior actuated atrdifi'erent pointsin the train to of the casing for supporting a reel of said flexiblematerial.

strip, and a shutter also mounted upon the support.

6. In a device of the character described, a

. casing having an open side, a lens arranged one of the walls of thecasing, the side and front walls of the casing being provided .Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 13th day of April A. 1).1915.

LOUIS MANDEL. Y

Witnesses:

CHANNING L. Srmrz, J. H. JooHUM, Jr.

